I returned from last January's computer-assisted reporting Boot Camp in Columbia, Mo., with renewed vigor and eager to apply the new skills to my city hall beat.
I didn't have to wait long. The following month, a payroll-padding scandal broke, and the story dominated our local media for weeks.
The tale was perfect for a CAR rookie. Most of the details couldn't be told well without data on city salaries, budgets and bonuses, and typically talkative sources had clammed up because of an administrative investigation.
In short, I had little choice but to turn to data.
The payroll scandal involved four employees in the city council's administrative office who were accused of taking $143,000 in improper, incremental bonus payments over approximately one year. The employees were quickly suspended and later fired. Mayor Bill White and other city officials told reporters that bonus payments – especially in such large quantities – were highly unusual for city employees.
That wasn't exactly true, but it took CAR to show it. We compiled an exclusive story showing that one in six city employees was paid extra money – totaling about $4 million – since Mayor White took office in 2004. The